On the first day of NFL free agency it is pretty quiet so far along the Foxboro front. The team did as expected and placed the 2nd round tender on backup quarterback Bryan Hoyer which is worth $1.92 million. What this means is a team can sign Hoyer to an offer sheet and if New England does not match it the other team only has to surrender a second round pick to the Patriots.
Bill Belichick and staff are gambling that no one will be willing to take that shot on Hoyer who New England really likes. On the other hand to get a 2nd round pick back would be very good for a player who figures to sign elsewhere next season to pursue a starting job and the team would only get a 3rd round compensatory pick in return in that case.
The Patriots also gave DT Kyle Love his exclusive rights tender and he will now be back for at least another season. An exclusive rights free agent, is a player with two years of less who is not under contract. If his team makes him an offer at the 3-year veteran minimum salary he has to take it or leave the NFL. If no offer is made he is a free agent.
There is a high probability that the Patriots will look to give Love a 2-year contract much like they did with Kyle Arrington when he was in this position. It gives Love a signing bonus and up front money in return for giving up one year of free agency.
There’s also been one unconfirmed rumor that New England is very close to re-signing WR Matthew Slater, their special teams captain and possible deep threat wide receiver.
At of the time of publication the possible signing of Slater has not happened although a few other wide receivers did sign deals last night. Reggie Wayne went back to a Manning-less Indianapolis, former teammate Pierre Garcon is reportedly Washington bound, Marcus Colston stayed in New Orleans and Vincent Jackson got $55 million over five years from Tampa Bay.
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